This from Daniel Hynd:
Photos from the Westmont special alarm 3-21-23
Daniel Hynd photo
Daniel Hynd photo
Daniel Hynd photo
Posts Tagged Velocity
Glenview firefighters were dispatched to 1701 Annapolis Drive in The Glen on Wednesday afternoon (7/27/22) at 3:30PM for a reported house fire. Companies arrived and had flames through the roof of a two-story, single-family house. A primary search of the premises was negative and a defensive attack was initiated that included several handlines in addition to elevated master streams from Glenview Truck 14 and Northbrook Tower 12 in the alley.
Heavy storms passed through the area roughly an hour before this fire was seen and there is the possibility of a lighting strike as the cause. The house had a cedar shake roof.
Companies assisting Glenview at the scene included Northbrook Tower 12, Winnetka Engine 28, Morton Grove Squad 4, Northfield Ambulance 29, and chief officers from the North Maine FPD and Morton Grove.
Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
Larry Shapiro photo
The Libertyville Fire Department in Lake County received calls about a house fire at 516 Wrightwood Terrace just after 9PM Wednesday evening. An off-duty firefighter reported fire in the unoccupied home. Libertyville companies were met with heavy fire originating at the rear of the house and called for mutual aid. As fire vented through the roof and engulfed the entire rear porch area, firefighters went defensive. Libertyville Quint 462 and Engine 461 setup in the ‘A’ Sector in front of the house. Both units are equipped with Wil-Burt telescoping light towers and provided a bright and safe working environment for firefighters confronted with snow and icy conditions. The 75′ aerial was extended over the house to provide additional lighting from the flood lights positioned at the tip of the ladder. The Metropolitan Emergency Support Services (MESS) was at the scene with a canteen plus a warming bus. The fire was brought under control in about an hour’s time. The house was completely gutted and required extensive overhaul.
Larry Shapiro took in this fire … and arrived after the bulk of the fire suppression had been completed. Nevertheless, here are some images from the scene and a complete gallery can be viewed HERE.
The house on Wrightwood Terrace with light smoke and steam escaping after the fire was knocked down. Larry Shapiro photo
Libertyville Quint 462, a 2008 Pierce Velocity 75' quint was designed with a mid-ship mounted Wil-Burt telescoping light tower. This is extremely useful for night events since the quint is often positioned directly in front of the structure. Larry Shapiro photo
The MESS canteen was setup next to the rehab ambulance providing snacks and hot beverages for firefighters. Behind the canteen is the MESS warming bus. Larry Shapiro photo
Libertyville's Quint 462 in the foreground and Engine 461 in the background both have deployed their light towers to illuminate the fire scene. The American flag graphic on the grille is attractive. Larry Shapiro photo
Libertyville Engine 461 is on a Dash chassis with everything, including the pump panel, behind roll-up doors. Libertyville has Pierce apparatus featuring the Dash, Velocity, and Quantum chassis in the fleet. Larry Shapiro photo
Bill Friedrich informs us that the Newport FPD in Lake County has purchased a 1985 Mack MR/Saulsbury, walk-in, heavy rescue with a mid-ship mounted, 8-ton, 33-foot, National Crane from the Lutherville Volunteer Fire Company in Baltimore County, MD. The unit is not yet in Illinois, but reportedly will be soon. Lutherville’s apparatus are painted white with gold striping and a black band along the bottom. Lutherville replaced this squad in 2008 with a Pierce Velocity, tandem axle, walk-around, heavy rescue with a 10-ton National Crane.
The Lutherville Vol Fire Company in Baltimore County, MD ran this 1985 Mack MR/Saulsbury heavy rescue as Squad 303 until it was replaced in 2008. Larry Shapiro photo
Lutherville Squad 303 demonstrates the capability of the crane to stabilize or lift a vehicle to assist with an extrication. Larry Shapiro photo from the book Cranes in Action, MBI Publishing
The Lutherville Vol Fire Co in Baltimore County MD put this Pierce Velocity heavy rescue into service in 2008. Squad 303 has a mid-ship mounted 10-ton National Crane. Larry Shapiro photo
The Bartlett Fire District covers the Village of Bartlett as well as unincorporated Hoffman Estates and portions of Wayne Township. As such, their district is within two different counties; Cook and DuPage. Bartlett is dispatched via DU-COMM, but is a member of MABAS Division 2. Bartlett has three stations, two of which staff an ambulance and an engine, while the third station has a jump company responsible for a tower ladder, 3,000-gallon tanker (tender), and a brush truck. The rigs have been painted black over red for a number of years now, but previously they were bright yellow. Bartlett currently has a 1993 Seagrave engine that has been decommissioned which was originally delivered yellow and is now black and red.
The newest apparatus are three Pierce Velocity units. Prior to that are two E-ONE units which were preceded by a pair of Seagrave engines. In the 1980s and prior years, Bartlett (known then as the Bartlett and Countryside FPD) purchased Howe and Grumman engines.
A 1993 Seagrave TB30DF 1000/750 TM (sn 78589) which has been decommissioned and is reportedly for sale. This unit was originally painted yellow. Larry Shapiro photo
Engine 612 was the original name for this unit when it was delivered to Bartlett in 1993. This was the second of two similar units in Bartlett, the first of which was delivered in 1991. Larry Shapiro collection
Engine 618 was one of two twin units delivered in 1982. These were both built on Ford C8000 chassis with 1,000-GPM pumps and 750-gallon water tanks. Grumman had purchased Howe and these were labeled as Grumman FireCat units. Larry Shapiro colection
Prior to the two Ford/Grumman engines, Bartlett purchased a pair of these Hendrickson 1871S/International/Howe TM engines. Each carried 750 gallons of water and had a 1,000-GPM pump. This unit was delivered in 1977 and the sister unit was delivered in 1973. Pictured here is Bartlett's old fire station which was across the railroad tracks from the main station. The building is now home to the Hanover Township Emergency Services. Larry Shapiro collection
Shown here at Station 1 on Oak Avenue, Engine 612 was a 1973 Hendrickson 1871S/International/Howe 1,000-GPM TM unit with 750 gallons of water. Unlike Engine 613, this unit had high side compartments. Larry Shapiro collection
Going back even further is this classic 1963 Ford C950/Howe engine #616. Like the units that were purchased later, this had a 1,000-GPM pump and carried 800 gallons of water. Larry Shapiro collection
Another interesting unit is the 1997 HME/US Tanker 3,000-gallon tender. This is one of three area tankers on HME chassis. The other two belong to the Palatine Rural FPD and the East Dundee FPD. All three of these worked the same fire in Barrington during September of 2008.
Bartlett Tender '2' on-scene in 2008 at a 2-11 Alarm fire in Barrington. Larry Shapiro photo
Two HME/US Tanker units (East Dundee FPD and Palatine Rural FPD) working side-by-side at a 2-11 alarm fire in Barrington during the summer of 2008. Larry Shapiro photo
Seperated by one tanker (a Freightliner/US Tanker from South Elgin) are the three area HME/US Tanker units in staging at the Barrington 2-11 in June of 2008. Larry Shapiro photo
One final note of interest is the 8,000-gallon, tractor-trailer tanker that preceded the 3,000-gallon HME/US Tanker unit in Bartlett. The tractor was an L-Series Ford.
The 8,000-gallon Bartlett tanker is shown here operating at a 3-11 alarm fire in Barrington's district at Pepper Road and Route 14 on the 10th of November, 1994. Larry Shapiro collection
New Pierce in Matteson
Oct 24
A new Pierce Velocity pumper has been delivered to the Matteson Fire Department in Division 27.
New Pierce Velocity pumper for the Matteson Fire Department. The pump is 1,500-GPM and the water tank holds 750 gallons. Pierce photo
New ARFFs for Chicago
Oct 1
The Chicago Fire Department is expecting to receive three new Oshkosh Striker ARFF units by the end of the year. The first of these units was due in August and has not yet arrived. On a recent trip to Pierce, a reader took the photo which is shown here that shows all three of the ARFF units completed, one which has a Snozzle articulating boom with a piercing nozzle.
The closest of these units can be seen numbered for 6-5-5 which runs out of Rescue 2 currently with a 2000 Oshkosh TI-3000. This is the ARFF Commander’s unit. The others are probably 6-5-3 at Rescue 1 (now operating with a 1992 Oshkosh T12) and 6-5-6 which currently has a 1994 Oshkosh T-3000 with a Snozzle out of Rescue 2.
Three Oshkosh Striker 3,000-gallon ARFF units are seen here in the final stages of completion at the Pierce factory last week.
As an added bonus, the heavy rescue shown in the foreground of this photo is the new unit for the Northern Illinois Police Alarm System Emergency Services Team (NIPAS EST) on a Velocity chassis.
The first Spartan/Gladiator Crimson 103' rear mount aerial ladder. The assignment for this piece has not yet been released. Larry Shapiro
There have been several previous postings which referenced the IAFC Fire Rescue International Trade Show in Chicago several weeks ago. A gallery is available by scrolling to the bottom of the page HERE which fittingly shows many of the trucks as they were leaving McCormick Place and lining up to receive a few gallons of fuel so that they could make their way to a gas station. As with any trade show, the fuel is siphoned out of the tanks before they enter the convention center as a safety measure to reduce the hazards of fires and leaks.
Although the units featured in the gallery are a hodgepodge sampling of the display pieces, there are images of several local units which are better shots than what was available inside the convention center. These images include the Freightliner/Medtec MICU from Algonquin-Lake in the Hills, the Pierce Impel quint from the Great Lakes Naval Training Center in North Chicago, the Spartan/Super Vac (SVI) HDR from Cherry Valley, the Pierce Velocity PUC tower ladder from South Holland, the custom Sutphen SP112 industrial tower ladder for the Exxon Mobile Joliet Refinery and the Spartan/Crimson rear mount aerial ladder for Chicago.
South Holland's Pierce Velocity PUC tower ladder. Larry Shapiro photo
The Sutphen SP112 tower ladder for the Exxon Mobil Refinery in Joliet. Larry Shapiro photo
The Pierce Impel quint going to the Great Lakes Naval Training Center in North Chicago. Larry Shapiro photo
There are many new pieces of apparatus for our area currently on display at the Fire Rescue International 2010 trade show at McCormick Place. Among them are:
- Pierce – South Holland Velocity PUC 100′ PAP rear mount tower ladder; Great Lakes NTC Impel 75′ RM quint
- Medtec – Algonquin Lake-in-the-Hills Type I Freightliner
- Crimson – CFD Spartan pumper; CFD Spartan 103′ RM aerial ladder; Naperville Spartan pumper
- Horton – Minooka Ford Type III MICU
- US Tank – Pingree Grove FPD Kenworth tanker
- Federal Signal – CFD Ford Expedition battalion chief unt
- Ferrara – Algonquin Lake-in-the-Hills Inferno engine and RM Tower ladder
- Sutphen – Exxon Mobil Joliet Refinery industrial mid-mount tower ladder quint
- Super Vac (SVI Trucks) – Cherry Valley Spartan HDR
The first Spartan Gladiator Crimson 103′ rear mount aerial ladder built for Chicago was displayed at the Fire Rescue International (FRI) 2010 trade show. Larry Shapiro photo
This Freightliner/Medtec Type I ambulance for the Algonquin lake-in-the-Hills Fire Department was on display in the Pierce booth. There were a total of three units on the trade show floor for this department. Larry Shapiro photo
The smaller than normal pump enclosure and built-in cross lays on the new Ferrara engine for the Algonquin Lake-in-the-Hills Fire Department resembles a trend in apparatus design which was first introduced several years ago by Pierce. Larry Shapiro photo
A Spartan Super Vac (SVI) heavy rescue for Cherry Valley with walk-around body, light tower, front bumper hydraulic rescue tools, air cascade system and an abundance of slide-out shelving and trays. Larry Shapiro photo
A gallery showing several of these units can be seen on Larry Shapiro’s site HERE.
New tower for South Holland
Aug 24
The South Holland Fire Department is reportedly going to take delivery of a new Pierce Velocity 100′ tower ladder at the International Fire Chief’s Conference this week at McCormick Place. We will post photos as soon as we get them.
